Louvered heater



June 11, 1957 s. T EIGER 2,795,683

LOUVERED HEATER Filed Sept. 7, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

FIG. 2 SAMUEL TEIGER fimzz wwnfimflv w ATTORNEYS June 11, 1957 s. TEIGER2,795,683

LOUVERED HEATER Filed Sept. 7. 1954 s Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

SAMUEL TEIGER BY 72",; WMBWWMQM United States Patent O LOUVERED HEATERSamuel Teiger, Newark, N. J.

Application September 7, 1954, Serial No. 454,429

2 Claims. (Cl. 219-34) This invention relates to a heating andventilating device for rooms, and has for its object the provision of anovel arrangement of louvers having heating elements therein whichradiate heat into the room. More particularly, the invention provides aframe such as would be inserted in a wall in combination with a numberof electrically heated louvers mounted for rotation with respect to theframe to change heating conditions in various parts of the room as thelouvers are rotated. In a preferred and advantageous embodiment of myinvention I provide an improved jalousie window in which the heatingelements are imbedded in the glass louvers.

My heating device comprises in combination a plurality of electricallyheated glass louvers in a louversupporting frame adapted to be mountedin the wall of a room, advantageously as a jalousie window. Each of thelouvers has an electrically conductive resistance element imbeddedtherein which may take the form of a nickel chromium alloy wire or anyequivalent resistance element to heat the louver. Means are providedwhich mount each of the louvers for turning about parallel and uniformlyspaced horizontal axes in the frame. An insulated electric circuit isenclosed within the frame structure and is adapted to be connected to asource of electric current. Means are also provided in the form ofcontacts which connect the source of electric current with theresistance element in each of the louvers. These electric contactsmaintain a closed circuit for each of the louvers during rotationthereof in their mounting. Means are also included in the frame forturning each of the louvers about their axial mounts and therebychanging the direction of heat radiation into the room.

In the drawings: v Fig. l is a perspective view of one embodiment of theinvention having a number of heating louvers rotatably mounted in alouver frame for a window;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view at 22 of'Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the details forpivotally mounting each heating louver on the louver frame;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 in Fig. 3;

, Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electrical circuit for heating the louvers.

Fig. 1 illustrates a jalousiewindow embodiment of my inventioncomprising a number of horizontally arranged louvers 10, each of thelouvers being seated at their lateral extremities in a pair of holders11 and 12. Each of the holders are rotatably mounted by means which willbe hereinafter described on a louver frame 15 adapted to be mounted inthe wall of a room in a home or factory.

The present arrangement of louvers and their frame is advantageouslydesigned for use both as a window and as a heater during all seasons ofthe year. For this purpose therefore, a picture window 16 may be mounted.2 ,795 ,68'3 Patented June 11, 1957 ice frame 15 has the conventionallouver-operating mechanism for jalousie Windows, well known in the art,and includes the usual number of crank arms 19 integral with each louverholder at one end and rotatably pinned as at 2?: at their other end to avertical slide bar 21 suitably mounted in the louver frame. Also asuitable gear operator 22 is mounted on the inner side of the louverframe and is operably connected to the slide bar 21 in any well-knownmanner for vertical displacement of the slide bar and tilting of thelouvers 10.

For the purposes of the present invention it is desired to provide anynumber of the louvers 10 in the form of heaters which may be insertedinto the desired pair of louver holders 11 and 12 in substitution for aconventional louver. Referring to Figs. 3 through 5, the details whichallow the insertion of such heating louvers into the louver frame areshown. The louver frame 15- hasan extruded jamb 25' of conventionalconfiguration. Each jamb 25 is adapted to be connected to a verticalstud 26 in the wall section of the room and has an exteriorlouver-supporting portion 27 which has a channellike cross section, thesides of the channel portion extending laterally away from the windowopening. The inner side 29 of the channel portion of the jamb overlapssheeting Si) or other facing material for the building and the jointtherebetween is weather-proofed by the usual caulking 31. The outer side33 of the channel portion 27 also has the outwardly extending integralbracket member 17 angling inwardly as at 36 to provide a seat for aframe 37 of the usual storm window or screen frame, the latter beingretained against the angled portion 36 by an adjustable clamp 38 whichis threaded to a screw 39 mounted in the bracket portion 36. The bracket17 is also provided on suitable head and sill sections 4t and 41 for thelouvers.

The web 42 of the channeled portion of the jamb has a number of hollowrivets or grommets 43 which pass through holes therein and through holesin the louver holders or clips 11 and 12 and hold them rotatably againstthe jarnb 25. For this purpose each grommet 43 is composed of a bronzeor brass alloy to provide suitable bearing support for the louver.

Each of the heating louvers 10 has a sinusoidally arranged Nichrome wire46 imbedded therein, the louver itself being preferably composed of atransparent or translucent glass. The heating pattern thus described bythe Nichrome wire to provides a uniform heating area throughout thesurface of the louver. Preferably, the terminals of the heating element10 are located at one extremity of the louver, thereby simplifying theelectric circuit for the wire 46, as will be hereinafter described. Anysuitable electrically conductive resistance element may be provided inplace of the Nichrome wire 46. Further, in many instances it will beadvantageous to provide a reflective metallic sheet 48 on the exteriorof one or more of the heating louvers 10 in order to reflect the heatgenerated by the heating element into the air of the room.

Advantageously the circuit for supplying electric current to the heatinglouvers 10 is arranged vertically within the channeled portion 27 of oneof the jarnbs 25 and is covered for protection from the weather by asuitable angle frame 49 which may be clipped, screwed or otherwisesuitably attached to the sides 29 and 33 of the channel section 27 toenclose the electrical conduits therebetween.

Each of the heating louvers 10 is connected in parallel to the conduitspassing vertically through the channel section 27 so that any one or allof the heating louvers can be replaced without breaking the circuit. Forthis purpose (Fig. 6) a pair of electrical conduits 50 and 51 aresoldered to a pair of suitably insulated junction blocks 53 and 54mounted within the channel section 27. Also mounted within one of thelouver holders or clips 11 for each heating louver is a pair ofstainless steel springs 56 and 57. Each of the stainless steel springsare suitably mounted at their ends on Bakelite insulation strips 58 and59 spaced at either side of the grommet 43 and in turn secured to avertical end wall portion 6;? for the louver holder. Each of thestainless steel springs 56 and 57 arch in a direction normal to thesurface of the Bakelite strips and engage separate terminals 62 and 63for the Nichrome wire 46. These latter terminals or contacts arepreferably provided in the form of silver contacts. The separatejunction blocks 53 and 54 communicate with the silver contacts 62 and 63for the heating louver through intermediation of the stainless steelsprings 56 and 57 and a pair of suitably insulated conduits 66 and 67,respectively, these latter conduits being soldered or otherwiseconnected to the junction blocks 53 and 54 and a pair of terminals 69and 70 for the springs. The above electrical communication between theheating louvers and the electrical conduits 50 and 51 is again repeatedfor each louver by means of similar conduits respectively connected tothe separate junction blocks 53 and 54.

As seen more clearly in Fig. 4, the louver holder 11 includes, inaddition to the end wall portion 60, a lower supporting wall portion 72and a pair of spaced vertical side wall portions 73 and 74 engagingopposite sides of the extremity of the heating louver 10. Each louvermay be inserted into its appropriate holder 11 by sliding the extremityof the louver between the side wall portions 73 and 74 and over theresilient stainless steel springs 56 and 57 until the lower edge of thelouver is engaged by the bottom wall portion 72 of the holder and thesilver contacts 62 and 63 come into registry with the springs.Thereafter suitable weather resistant electrical insulation may beinserted between the opposite faces of the heating louver and the sidewall portions 73 and 74 of the louver clip as indicated at 76 and 77, asuitable insulating material for this purpose being fish paper. A cap 78is then inserted over the upper edge of the louver between the side wallportions 76 and 77 and the vertical wall portions 60 of the louverholder to retain the louver in. place and cover the space resultingbetween the end wall section 60 and the edge of the louver.Advantageously, the stainless steel springs 56 and 57 serve the dualfunction of providing an adjustable resilient contact for the Nichromewire 46 and also to stabilize the louver against rattling and edgewisemovement as it is tilted in its frame. Like- Wise, the grommet 43 servesthe dual function of providing means for rotatably mounting the louveron its frame While at the same time providing a passage for theelectrical conduits 66 and 67.

The electrical conduits 50 and 51 communicate with a suitable fuse boxand power supply 80 through intermediation of a suitable adjustablethermostatic control 81 and a pilot light 82, the thermostat and pilotlight being connected in parallel to the power circuit. The thermostatand pilot light are preferably mounted on a control panel located at anyconvenient place and are operated by a single on and off throwswitch 83also in the electrical circuit.

It will be apparent from the foregoing discussion that the heating andventilating device of my invention finds utility both in warm and coldclimatic conditions. The louvers may be opened to any desired degree toadmit fresh air which can be heated as it enters the room, thus giving acombination of heating the air by conduction and the persons in the roomby directed radiation. In the winter the frame 37 of a storm window canbe mounted on the bracket 17 of the frame by the clamps 38. The

heating elements 46 of the louvers 10 generate heat which is reflectedby its metallic sheet 48 into the room, while the storm windowprevents-entry of cool air proximate the heating louvers. The louverscan be rotated about the grommets 43 on substantially uniformly spacedparallel horizontal axes by manipulation of the gear operator 22 actingon the crank arms 19 through intermediation of the slide bar 21, therebyadjusting the direction in which heat is radiated into the room. Anyshifting of the louvers 10 with respect to their holders 11 and 12 isresiliently compensated for by the stainless steel springs 56 and 57 inthe holder 11. Similar leaf springs may also be mounted in the holder12. The opening in grommet 43 for each louver 10 provides an entry forthe electrical conduits 66 and 67 which is coaxial with the axis ofrotation for each louver 10. This avoids undue stress on the solderedconnections of the conduits 66 and 67 with the junction blocks 53 and 54and terminals 69 and 70 for the springs, providing a permanentelectrical circuit for the louvers 10 despite continual repositioning ofthe louvers in their frame.

Each louver 10 is electrically in parallel with every other louver sothat removal of one or more of the louvers does not impair operation ofremaining louvers. The silver contacts 62 and 63, being located on thesame enclosed peripheral end edge of the louver simplifies theelectrical circuit. The glass body for the louver and the insulation 58,59, 76 and 77 provides proper insulation for housing the severalelectrical joints for each louver. The electrical conduits and 51 areprotected from the weather by the angle frame 49.

I claim:

1. A device for rotatably mounting a heating element on a frame adaptedto be located on the wall of a room which comprises a louver ofelectrically non-conductive material having an electrically conductiveresistance element imbedded therein with a pair of spaced terminalsalong the peripheral edge of said louver, louver-holding means embracinga portion of the peripheral edge of said louver, at least one bearingrotatably mounting said louver-holding means on said frame, said bearinghaving an opening therein coaxial therewith for entry of electricconduits into communication with the electric terminals of said louvers,insulating means mounted intermediate the louver-holding means and theembraced portion of the peripheral edge of said louver, a pair ofelectrically conductive resilient springs mounted in spaced relation onsaid insulating means intermediate the insulating means and theperipheral edge of said louver, said springs being arranged opposite theelectrical terminals of said louver in contacting relation therewith andresiliently bearing against the peripheral edge of said louver, and apair of electric conduits entering the louver-holding means through theopening in said bearing and communicating with said pair of electricallyconductive springs.

2. A device for rotatably mounting a louver with an electricallyconductive resistance element imbedded therein having a spaced pair ofelectrical terminals on a peripheral edge of the louver which comprisesa louver frame, a louver holder having a pair of spaced opposite sidewall sections and a bottom wall section, the louver being slid into saidholder between said wall sections and retained on the extremities of itsfront and back surface and its lower edge, said holder having an endwall section normal to the side and bottom wall sections, meansrotatably mounting the end wall of said holder on the louver framehaving an opening therein coaxial with the axis of rotation of saidholder, a spaced pair of resilient springs engaging the end edge of saidlouver and the electric terminals for said resistance element, saidspring being electrically conductive and insulated from the wallsections of said holder, and a pair of electric conduits passing throughthe opening in said holder-mounting means and communicating with saidsprings whereby said louver may be tilted in its frame while beingresiliently fetained in electrical communication with a source ofelectricity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BodeApr. 23, 1940 6 Hite Feb. 5, 1946 Stroud Mar. 4, 1947 Glynn Mar. 1, 1949Trist Jan. 31, 1950 Andresen Aug. 21, 1951 Blanchard Oct. 13, 1953 Spun-Feb. 2, 1954 Salton May 11, 1954

